Health and Wellness

Lyme disease is an emerging disease transmitted by the blacklegged tick in Michigan. In 2024, It has been reported in nearly every county in the state, according to the State of Michigan. Taking prevention measures is one of the smartest ways to avoid tick bites and tick-borne diseases.

If you listen to music when you work out, you've got to read this post to design the perfect playlist to pump you up.

As temperatures continue to rise this summer, it's important to concentrate on how much water you consume daily. It is estimated that 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration and that issue is especially apparent in the warm summer months.

Summertime comes with unique challenges or environments that can harm or endanger foot health and foot safety. With increased time spent active outdoors, in the sun, and barefoot or in open-toed shoes, more care and attention is needed prevent injuries or burns to the feet.

When you start a workout plan, it’s easy to do too much too soon. That can leave you sore, tired, and feeling dejected, as well as increase your chance for injury. If you’re not in the habit of a regular strength routine, start small.

Grabbing your phone or switching on the TV or YouTube is second nature for many people. When there is a lull in the day or a moment of silence, it can be easy to fill that space with social media, entertainment or news that are always available at our fingertips. It’s important to set screen time limits for yourself.

UVA, UVB, UVC: What do these all mean? Here’s how to the know difference and protect yourself from their damage.

Paisley Taylor of Grand Rapids was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis a few years ago. The diagnosis has sparked a passion for advocacy in Paisley's mother, Taylor, who knows the condition does not define her daughter.

Most of the time, houseflies are merely annoying, and their bites can be briefly painful. However, these insects can spread bacteria and viruses through their bites.

The joy and affection that animals bring can cheer you up, calm you down, and keep your attention focused and in-the-moment. Not everyone can have a pet at home, and even if you do, you may find volunteering at a local animal rescue to be a rewarding experience. Learn five ways volunteering at an animal shelter can benefit your health.

While the sun can be healing, it can also be harmful. Make sure to protect your skin with sunscreen but remember skin protection from sunlight doesn’t stop there.

Adopting five new habits can help reduce your overall stress and have a positive impact on your life.

Social wellness, just like another area of personal health, requires care and attention. Your social health, just like physical or mental health, cannot be ignored until something is going wrong.

Self-care can help build and maintain mental health and resilience. Mental health is not something that can be ignored until something goes wrong. Just like any other area of your personal health, it needs to be maintained and checked up on.

Summer is here and the sun is shining. While you are enjoying the heat and daylight, you also have to protect your skin and body.

You can protect yourself against West Nile and other mosquito-borne diseases by avoiding contact with mosquitos. Here are five tips to help you do just that.

Trauma is an event or series of events that threaten your sense of safety or your life.

Badminton has been around for centuries, but we don't often think of it as a recreational sport we can play locally. Ann Arbor's Kim Yeow shares tips and discusses the sport's benefits and communal qualities.

Music therapy experiences may include singing songs, playing instruments, writing music, or listening to music and analyzing the lyrics. Music therapy interventions can address a variety of health care and educational goals.

TikTok users are sharing their morning routines before settling down at their laptops at home or heading to work. Those using this trend are getting up earlier – 5 a.m. – to pack more into their days.

Damaged hair can say a lot about your health – keep your hair healthy in the hot summer with these diet tips and scalp treatments.

Shin splints are a common and painful overuse injury or condition usually caused by running, tennis, pickleball, dancing, or other standing exercises for extended periods of time. With some preparation, there are self-treatment tips for preventing shin splints or minimizing the pain from shin splints.

When it comes to health care, men tend to be much more reluctant than women to obtain preventive care or seek out medical care when there’s an issue. And this reluctance can increase their risk for health consequences.

Six months ago, I found out I was pregnant with my first child — only two months into the “honeymoon stage” of marriage. To be honest, even at 35 years old, I was not prepared at all! 

Combining the strategies of the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, the MIND diet revolves around healthy combinations of foods that may help reduce inflammation, hypertension and high blood pressure, and protect against cardiovascular and neurological diseases and signs of aging.

Diabetes can lead to conditions that affect your vision, such as glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Equip yourself with the knowledge needed to prevent these conditions by reading these tips.

Water bottles are traveling everywhere with you and collecting the germs from places you go. From errands to work to an outdoor soccer game on the weekends, your water bottle straw is picking up bacteria in those areas.

Ditching all the planning and your phone can alleviate stress and restore creativity. Giving yourself time on your vacation to restore your whole body will help you when you’re back home.

Alzheimer’s is a brain disorder that causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to die, and it worsens with time. The disease is the leading cause of dementia, a decline in memory, thinking, behavior and social skills.

Does your fear of needles keep you from donating blood? Check out these ways to combat your fear and save lives in the process!

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is often associated with the coming of winter and loss of daylight, but it can also be brought on in warmer months and is known as summer onset seasonal affective disorder.

It can be a hassle finding healthy snacks your kids will eat and enjoy. These quick, easy, and nutritious snack options are perfect for your active kids this summer.

There are many products and games marketed as memory aids or mind-sharpening pastimes explicitly, especially for older Americans. Do these exercises really help with memory or have a noticeable effect?

Breakouts on the skin can be frustrating and uncomfortable. When a breakout happens, there are ways to manage the discomfort and the affected areas. There are also some products, behaviors, and foods to avoid for managing breakouts.

On top of growing your own food and plants, you could be relieving stress and improving your attention span every time you get in the garden.

The causes for summer anxiety and depression are broad, but some common causes can be found including sleep issues, schedule changes, and even summer onset seasonal affective disorder.

Allergens can easily find their way into your home and wreak havoc on your allergies or immune system. Learn how to identify how allergens are entering your home and some easy steps to take to avoid indoor allergens and improve the quality of the air inside.

Working from home has obvious benefits, but many of us who work remotely know it can also breed loneliness. These tips encourage movement and socialization. They may help you break up the monotony of the remote work day.

Qigong is part mindful activity, part exercise. Its low-impact, repetitive nature has made it an increasingly popular workout for older adults.

When a child suffers a fall or a blow to the head, concussion is a concern. It’s important to know the signs of a concussion, warning signs that need immediate care, and what to do for a child who may be concussed.

Learning another language will open new doors for you in your personal life, professional life, and social life. Learning a new language is a great way to focus on personal growth, stimulate your mind and your senses, and introduce you to new people and new possibilities.

Many triggers or allergies or allergens are found in the home or brought into the home from outside and continue to aggravate and trigger allergy symptoms in the supposed comfort of your own home. One of the most common culprits of allergens in the home is laundry and the laundry room.

Wild swimming, or open-water swimming, refers to swimming in natural waters, open water, or generally swimming outside and in natural waters. Wild swimming and open-water swimming has become more popular in recent years, especially with Americans looking for a mental health boost, since it ties together exercise and connection with nature.

Skin breaking out in acne or a rash can be scary, irritating and confusing especially if you are not sure what the cause is. Acne most commonly occurs during puberty, but up to 15% of adult women develop acne as well.

It is important to know about your skin, allergies or sensitivities, and skin type whether or not you have a chronic condition. Depending on the severity and extent of chronic skin conditions, certain products or medications may need to be added to a skincare routine.

Exercise is extremely important for building and maintaining a good level of personal fitness and physical health. Regular physical activity – including a mix of aerobic exercise, strength training and balance training – can help seniors live independently longer and with a better quality of life. It can also help in managing chronic diseases. 

Early puberty, also called precocious puberty, refers to the premature onset of puberty in children. The stages of puberty include body and hormone changes that allow the body to reproduce. Early onset puberty can have negative effects on the mental health of children.  

While it’s exciting to head outside and enjoy nature, the change in season also means allergies. Here’s how to nip symptoms in the bud.

While no furry friend can truly be hypoallergenic, there are some dog breeds or types of pets are better choices for hopeful pet owners who have pet allergies. The cause of most pet allergies is not the pet itself, but the dust and dander that gets trapped in their fur, or allergens they carry inside on their fur.

Have self-compassion and don’t feel like you need to enjoy or recognize Mother's Day. Allow yourself to feel the emotions you have rather than pressuring yourself to feel happy or joyful.

When the body encounters allergens or foreign substances that trigger an immune response, it is known as an allergic reaction. The immune response that is triggered affects the skin, manifesting as irritation, redness, scaliness, hives, swelling, and more symptoms of an allergic reaction on the skin.

An awe walk is a hike or walk focused on enjoying and taking part in the natural world around you. To take part in awe walking, all that is needed is to focus on the world around you and awe-inspiring aspects of nature while you walk.

15 million Americans struggle with social anxiety disorder specifically, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. This can be an obstacle to regular life and comfort, with most adults with social anxiety reporting moderate impairment from their symptoms or anxiety.

Skin allergy tests can help care teams determine what allergies or sensitivities a patient may or may not have, based on the reactions and results to the test. There are three main types of skin allergy tests given: skin prick tests, intradermal skin tests, and patch tests.

It can feel like a constant effort to keep your kids eating healthy meals. Kids can also be notoriously picky, for a variety of reasons. Read on for some ideas for creating healthy meals for your kids and tips on getting kids to eat healthier.

It is common sense that being around nature, fresh air, and pleasant images or aromas from plants can be soothing. But are there actual healing benefits to healing gardens?

The long-term effects of alcohol use do not go away as soon as you stop drinking or alter your drinking habits. Some noticeable changes and markers of recovery may show up as soon as days or weeks after beginning abstinence from alcohol.

When a panic attack hits, one can feel out of control or in extreme danger. Anxiety over the panic attack or attempts to avoid or prevent an oncoming panic attack can add to the feelings of urgency and panic.

Tabata was originally created as a training method for the Japanese Olympic Speed Skating team in the early 1990s. But the HIIT-style workout is practiced in gyms all over the United States today. Here's what it's all about.

Silent walking is the idea of a focused, silent walk without listening to music, podcasts, conversation, or other activities often used during runs or walks. The goal of silent walking is to focus your mind and body on the walk, on the world around you, and to use the walk as a meditative experience.

National Walk at Lunch Day is the perfect excuse to get outside after lunch and rack up some steps. Do it every day and the health benefits will rack up, too.

Autism affects the way a person communicates and interacts with others. It does not affect all people equally, rather there are varying degrees of severity.

Alcohol negatively affects physical and mental health in many ways, especially if consumed in excess, routinely or habitually. The reverse is also true, however – sobriety or cutting alcohol out of a lifestyle can have significant, positive effects on overall health and wellness. 

The link between stress and nutrition is bi-directional, meaning they both affect each other. Stress can affect our eating habits, especially the chances of unhealthy choices or overeating. Additionally, poor nutrition and diet choices can exacerbate or increase levels of stress.

Karaoke fits the bill when it comes to many of the preferences Gen Z has for exercise. Karaoke can be a great group workout or exercise, it is a social and communal activity, and it can easily be done at home, at work or in social settings.

Grilled cheese sandwiches have long held a cherished spot in the hearts and stomachs of many, not just kids. In fact, according to a 2019 YouGov survey, grilled cheese reigns as the most popular sandwich among Americans.

In this recipe, melty fresh mozzarella alongside your favorite pasta sauce and Italian herbs come together for pizza flavors without the effort. In general, mozzarella is lower in sodium and calories than other cheeses, making it a heart healthier option.

This recipe puts a sense of class into a grilled cheese. The bitterness of the Brie cheese is perfectly accompanied by the fig jam. If you don’t have fig jam, any other type of jam will provide a hint of sweetness to cut the bitterness.

This recipe has that kick of buffalo everyone loves – the tang from the vinegar and the kick of heat from cayenne. Both the avocado and jack cheese adds a creamy component that literally makes this a melt-in-your-mouth meal.

What you eat can have a significant effect on your stress levels and risk of chronic stress. Proper nutrition is an important element to handling stress and anxiety. Learn more about foods that can help manage stress and anxiety.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, which sheds light on the role of alcoholic beverages in our lives. Alcohol is a central component of social gatherings, celebrations and moments of relaxation. As spring arrives, and the opportunities for celebration increase, consider trying one of these refreshing mocktail options.

Ginger and lemon are ideal flavor combinations for a refreshing beverage. In this balanced mocktail, citrus provides a refreshing acid profile, honey balances it with sweetness while the ginger adds a hint of spice.

This refreshing mocktail recipe is citrusy with light hints of woodsy and savory elements from the thyme. The grapefruit’s bitterness mocks the taste of alcohol, while its tartness is balanced with honey.

Microplastics are a concern to the environment and for human health. Americans on average consume between 75,000 and 120,000 microplastic particles a year. Read on for some suggestions on how to reduce your microplastic exposures through some lifestyle and consumption changes.

Ready to lower your blood pressure and feel more relaxed? Indoor plants might be a worthy investment. Let’s look at how they can make you feel better – and why.

Coloring has been found to be a therapeutic or meditative activity for many and can have multifold benefits, especially for adults with high levels of stress or anxiety.

The primary dangers related to sleep for infants, and risk factors for sleep-related infant deaths, involve the positioning of the child while sleeping, the materials and environment the child sleeps in, temperature, respiratory inhibitors and choking hazards. There are a few basic standards or rules to go by when setting up a safe sleep environment for your baby.

Exercise snacks are short periods of intense workouts, usually only two to minutes. The idea behind energy snacking is to have a few of these brief, intense workouts interspersed throughout your day.

From morning coffee to snacking on chocolate bars or grabbing an energy drink, caffeine is a big part of people’s daily diet in the United States.

What you eat certainly is directly tied to your health and wellness, but so is the time of day you eat. This is true especially when it comes to timing the largest meal of your day. How food affects your body can depend on the time of day it’s digested.

I’ve noticed something about my anxiety over the years – that almost every year it feels like my anxiety heightens around mid-March/early-April. Each year, it comes as a surprise to me. Learn more about springtime seasonal mood changes.

Osceola County resident Donnie Dwyer gravitated toward rucking for its low-impact, resistance-based nature. More than just a sneaky good workout, rucking's communal element has been a boon to Dwyer's social life.

Adults 65 and older need at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, such as walking, but also at least two sessions of strength training a week. Besides moderate exercise and strength training, balance training and exercises are also recommended routinely for older adults.

Yes, biological age is real, but understanding the term and what is meant in comparison to chronological age is important. It's impossible to stop or slow time; as the years go by, you chronologically age.

The use and overuse of alcohol limits and inhibits your overall level of health and fitness. Alcohol suppresses many of your body’s main functions to different extents and can affect your ability to recover from illness and injury.

It’s easy to take good vision for granted – until it’s no longer there. Bad lifestyle habits can jeopardize good vision and negatively impact quality of life.

Someone in the U.S. is exposed to poison every 15 seconds, according to statistics from the National Capital Poison Center. In 2021, more than two million people called Poison Control for help. Children are the most at risk for poisoning, especially those six years and under.

Just like our bodies, our brains change as we age. But there are exercises and activities that can slow or even prevent some of that decline.

There is not one color of noise that has proven best for sleep. Rather, each color of noise has unique qualities and affects different listeners in various ways. To better understand how color noises can help you with sleep or other activities, it’s best to understand how color noises got their names.

For a long time, there has been sentiment among runners and doctors that long-distance running, especially long-term and regular running, would predispose runners to arthritis or joint issues as they age. However, there's evidencethat challenges this long-held belief.

It might seem as simple as updating a few clocks in your home, but Daylight Saving Time can take a toll on some people’s overall health.

Make the most of the wonderful weather by getting your body up and moving. Springtime outdoor workouts can reinvigorate you after a long cold winter. Make sure you are staying healthy and moving this spring.

It will likely be easier to go through the time change with your baby if you take some steps ahead of time to prepare you both for Daylight Savings Time. These methods work to both “Spring Forward” and “Fall Back” for Daylight Savings Time if you adjust the sleep schedule in the right way each time.

It’s one of those topics people avoid talking about. But the fact is, colonoscopies save lives and it's important to debunk these four common misconceptions surrounding them.

Mental health advocate and contributing writer Monica Drake shares why she decided not to drink this St. Patrick's Day — and her plans to celebrate the Irish holiday without the alcohol.

NASM Master Trainer Angela Moore writes about the importance of knowing key numbers for heart health. She writes: "I encourage you to take it one day at a time, one step at a time, and know that every effort you make to become healthier increases your chance of living a healthier and happier life for many years to come. Here’s to a healthier heart and a healthier YOU!"

Breast self-exams, temperature checks and even measuring heart rate are all things that can be indicators of how healthy a person is.

Fitness instructor Monica Sanders is one of the pioneers of WERQ, a nationally-known style of cardio-based group exercise that originated in the Midwest.

A good soak in a hot tub can make you feel better, but how healthy are they?